Clinton Hill photographer Stephen Mallon was given unprecedented access to the recovery effort of Flight 1549 from the Hudson River in January. His dramatic photos of the event are now on public display for the first time at the Front Room Gallery in Williamsburg.

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"I was absolutely amazed to be out there and to be so close to what was going on," said Mallon, 36. "It was exhilarating. It definitely compensated for the freezing temperatures."

Mallon braved the chilly winter weather for nearly two weeks to capture images of the miraculous plane being lifted from the icy waters of the Hudson and transported to its final destination - a warehouse in New Jersey.

Mallon took candid photos of all aspects of the recovery effort, though some shots were more difficult to get than others.

"The divers were the hardest to photograph because when they were in the water they would only bob up every once in a while," said Mallon. "All you're seeing is a couple bubbles coming out of the water."

"So, to capture the actual moments with the divers ... it definitely took a couple of hours on standby just waiting for them to come back out," he said.

Mallon was the only photographer given unrestricted access to the recovery effort because of his connections to Weeks Marine, the crane company that removed the massive A320 Airbus from the Hudson.

After photographing Weeks Marine recycling old subways cars into artificial reefs earlier this year, they tapped him again to go back on the water.

Now, he hopes his photos will be seen as a fitting tribute to what transpired that day.

"I hope this helps people remember this moment in history," said Mallon. "This is the only zero casualty water landing of a jet craft in aviation history."

Brace for Impact: The Aftermath of Flight 1549 will be on display at the Front Room Gallery on Roebling St. from now until Oct. 11.